Kinect technology is heading to laptops

According to a recent report from The Daily, Microsoft is working manufacturers third-party manufacturers on prototypes of laptops utilizing a built-in Kinect sensor. Microsoft has already discussed desktops that include Kinect functions while at CES this year, but this is the first mention of the motion controller in a portable solution. The prototypes appeared to be ASUS netbooks and they were running Windows 8, likely to use motion navigation within the metro style version of the operating system.

The potential to release cross-platform, Kinect-enabled games seems like the most obvious use of the technology. However, a smaller, mobile version of the Kinect sensor would need to focus the sensitivity range to a much smaller area in order to work correctly with a typical 15-inch laptop screen. In addition, light sensitivity could be a problem for users that like to sit outdoors while on a laptop. Beyond games, the opportunity for disabled users to utilize gesture and voice control in a portable solution would be excellent. Using Kinect controls to operate actions within Windows Media Center could also be interesting.

Microsoft started encouraging developers to experiment with the Kinect hardware after opening up the Kinect SDK during June 2011 and seeks to roll out Kinect-enabled desktops before the end of the year. According to speculation from The Daily, Microsoft is only offering licensing the Kinect technology to manufacturers rather than building a solution in-house. Adaptations of Kinect technology popped up all over CES 2012 with many television manufacturers such as Samsung and LG adopting motion-based controls to navigate menus and other HDTV functions. In addition, a company called SoftKinetic is also building 3D gesture technology into portable computers. As displayed during CES this year, the technology can sense motion beyond six inches from the sensor built into the laptop.

If you're feeling frustrated with Microsoft Edge, or have run into a serious problem with Windows 10's built-in browser, take a look at these common issues and the solutions that can help you get back on track.

Capturing a screenshot of your desktop is easier than you might think, but it's the kind of thing you'll probably need to know. Here are the three basic ways take a screenshot on a PC, using both built-in utilities and free software.

To reach its rumored launch timeline of later this year for its low-cost notebook, Apple is expected to begin production of its updated MacBook Air soon. The sub-$1,000 laptop could launch as early as September or October.

A team of Chinese researchers revealed this week that they were able to use a cracked Amazon Echo to exploit a series of Alexa interface flaws to take control over an unteuched Echo running on the same network.

Researchers have successfully hacked John McAfee's Bitfi cryptocurrency wallet. Researchers show that the device can be hacked, as they have gained access to the device's private keys and passphrase despite McAfee's security promotion.

Which music streaming platform is best for you? We pit Spotify versus Pandora, two mighty streaming services with on-demand music and massive catalogs, comparing every facet of the two services to help you decide which is best.

The best laptop should be one that checks all the boxes: Great battery life, beautiful design, and top-notch performance. The laptops we've chosen for our best laptops you can buy do all that — and throw in some extra features while…

A recent survey questioned 595 VR and AR professionals about business growth in the consumer and enterprise markets. Only 24 percent report strong sales in the enterprise while 18 percent show strong sales in the consumer market.

We've compiled a list of the best Chromebooks -- laptops that combine great battery life, comfortable keyboards, and the performance it takes to run Google's lightweight Chrome OS. From Samsung to Acer, these are the Chromebooks that really…

Gamers will have something exciting to look forward to next week when Gamescom starts. Nvidia posted a teaser video to YouTube containing hints that it could use the venue to announce the new GeForce RTX 2080 graphics chip.

Nvidia revealed its new graphics chip design called “Turing” during SIGGRAPH 2018. Rumored to be the foundation of Nvidia’s next family of GeForce cards, the company instead showcased Turing in Quadro RTX-branded cards for pros.